Ukraine to receive its first Skyranger 35 systems on Leopard 1 chassis
Illustrative photo: Ukraine will receive Skyranger 35 (Rheinmetall)
German defense group Rheinmetall plans to begin deliveries of Skyranger 35 anti-aircraft systems mounted on Leopard 1 tank chassis to Ukraine, stated Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, according to German Aid to Ukraine.
According to Papperger, the first Skyranger 35 system based on the Leopard 1 will be delivered to Ukraine next week.
Deliveries of the Skyranger 35 to Ukraine
In September, it became known that Rheinmetall would supply Ukraine with Skyranger 35 self-propelled air-defense systems mounted on Leopard 1 chassis under a contract worth several hundred million euros.
The contract was paid for by an unnamed EU country using windfall profits generated from frozen Russian assets.
The Skyranger 35 is a modern short-range mobile air-defense system developed by Rheinmetall. It is equipped with a 35 mm Oerlikon KDG revolver gun (up to 1,000 rounds per minute) and uses AHEAD programmable ammunition to effectively engage small aerial targets such as drones.
The system runs on a tracked chassis (the Leopard 1 tank base), providing high mobility and armored protection. It includes 360-degree AESA radars and a stabilized electro-optical station, enabling rapid detection and tracking of targets.
The platform can be mounted on various wheeled or tracked vehicles, allowing it to be adapted to the needs of a particular army.
Previously, Papperger claimed that Ukraine had already received Skyranger 35 systems, but later refuted his own statement.
